Multicircuit connector



Oct. 8, 1946, A. WALL l MULTICIRCUIT CONNECTOR Filed Nov. 19, 1942 u, y E .Z m @www w N. if OCM@ Z. n 2.1, ,4.1. .m .m W nl ,m V S, .M mmf T. ,m M a a U m m u A n m m m m ,..,..,.,.....m

Patented Oct. 8, 11946 MULTICIRCUIT CONNECTOR Alexander C. VWall, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application November 19, 1942, Serial No. 466,159

Claims.

My invention relates to multicircuit connectors wherein a plurality of conductors is adapted to be connected to another corresponding number of conductors and it is desirable to make these connections in a limited space with as long a flashover path as is practicable.

AnA object of my invention is to provide an improved multicircuit connector construction.

Another object of my invention is tc provide a relatively small multicircuit connector with relatively long flash-over paths between conductors substantially greater than the spacing between the conductors. ,Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent and my invention will be better understood from the following description referring to the accompanying drawing, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this speciiication.

In the drawing, Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a multicircuit connector embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View of a part of the connector shown in Fig. l

illustrating the details of the terminals and the connectors used in this construction; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a multicircuit connector provided with another embodiment of my invention; and Fig. 4 is an exploded View, partly in section, of the rnulticircuit connector shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown in Figs. 1, 2, and l an embodiment of my invention applied to a multicircuit connector such as may be used to advantage in ignition systems having multiple conductors of relatively high voltage electrical paths. In this type conductor, it is desirable that substantially all air paths in the connection be eliminated to minimize the possibility of flash-over, corona, and other electrical discharges from the relatively high voltage conductors. In order to provide such an arrangement, a plurality of insulated conductors I0 is adapted to be supplied with relatively high voltage electrical power, and include electrically conductivestranded portions I I with which the connector is adapted to form an electrical circuit to supply the power to corresponding stranded electrically conductive elements I2 in a corresponding plurality of insulated conductors I3. The conductors I0 and I3 are adapted to extend into similar terminal plug members which are preferably formed of a relatively deformable elastic insulating material and provided with base portions I4 and a plurality of frusto-conical projections I5 formed with the longer diameters thereof on one side of the base portion I4. The conductors I0 and I3 extend through central passages which are formed through the projections I5 and through the plug bases lf3, and the stranded electrically conductive portions Il and I2 of the conductors form a good electrical contact with terminal elements I6 of electrically conductive material by being flared at the ends and secured to the terminal elements in a suitable manner, as by soldering, as shown at l1. The terminal elements I5 are provided with outwardly extending ared base flanges I8 which extend over a tapered end portion I9 of the insulation on the conductors I0 and I3. The passages formed through the plug bases I4 and projections I5 are preferably made of a slightly smaller diameter than the outer diameter of the conductors I0 and I3, so that when the conductors are secured in position in the projections I5 by the outwardly extending ange I8 of the terminal members I 6, substantially no air remains Within the passage about the conductors I0 and I3 or about the inner end of the terminal elements I6, thereby eliminating Vall discharge paths through the plugs. The terminal plugs are adapted to be connected together to complete the electrical circuits between the various conductors in the pair of plugs by insertion of the plug projections I5 into apertures cr openings 20 formed in a connecting socket member ZI, also preferably formed of a relatively deformable elastic insulating material. The apertures 20 are formed as two sets of oppositely extending and communicating frusto-conical openings with the longer diameters thereof in the outer surfaces of the socket and the contours of the apertures are complementary to the contours of the projections on the plugs, so that the plug projections I5 are adapted to fit snugly into the apertures 20 to provide fluid-tight seals therewith. A connector of electrically conductive material is arranged in each socket passage adjacent the small diameter inner ends of the frusto-conical apertures, and this connector is adapted to provide an electrical contact with the conductors and conductor terminals of the plugs when the plug projections are inserted in the socket apertures. Each of these connectors includes a cup-shaped element 22 having a iiange 23 at the outer edge thereof and an opening 24 formed in the base thereof through which a stem 25 of a second connector element extends. This second connector element is formed with an end flange 26, and the two parts of the connector are adapted to be inserted from opposite ends of the socket apertures with the stem 25 of one connector element extending through the opening 24 in the base of the other connector element, after which the end 21 of the stem 25 is spread to secure the flanges 25 and 23 in tight engagement about a collar 28 formed of insulating material at the inner ends of the opposltely extending apertures 20. This flared end 21 also secures together the two elements of the connector. The outer surface of the socket is formed with a double frusto-conical surface 29 with the longer diameter 3!) of these conical surfaces substantially in the middle of the socket. Each plug is formed with a sleeve 3l of insulating material with an inner frusto-conical surface complementary to the outer socket surface and adapted to provide a snug fluid-tight iit therewith when the plugs are in the positions shown in Fig. 1. The two plugs and the connector element are adapted to be secured together in fluid-tight relationship by a pair of rigid members 32 which extend about the plugs I4 and are adapted to be secured together in any suitable manner as by a plurality of bolts 33. An insulating compound 34 is arranged in the outer rigid electrically conductive members 32 about the conductors Ii) and I3 to provide additional insulation between the conductors extending to the plugs I4. This construction is particularly advantageous as it provides a relatively long ash-over path between adjacent plug terminals and between plug terminals and the outer casing and also minimizes the possibility of air pockets and flash-over paths in the spa-ce between the plug projections and the apertures in the socket.

In Fig, 3 I have shown another embodiment of my invention wherein the insulation 34 on the conductors I and I3 is fused or vulcanized to the insulating material of the plugs such that the insulation 34 on the conductors of the bases I4 of the plugs and the projections I5 form a untary insulating element. This further insures against the possibility of flash-over or discharge paths within the plugs. As shown in this construction, the plug terminal elements IB may be omitted and connectors may be provided within the socket apertures to provide good electrical contact with the ends of the conductive elements II and I2 of the conductors Ill and I3 in the plugs. Each of these connector elements includes a block 35 of conductive material formed as a spool with flanges 36 at each end thereof for locating the block within the apertures at the inner small diameter ends thereof. inner ends of the sockets are formed with shoulders 3I which extend about the spools or blocks and are preferably formed of a slightly greater length than the distance between the inner sides ofthe flanges 36 of the spools to provide a slight amount of compression of these shoulders 31 when the spools 35 are in position within the aperture 2t). This assures against dislocation of the connector spools 35 and also assures against voids or air pockets around the connectors. The connector spools 35 are provided with double pointed contact elements 38 extending through the center of the connector spool and secured therein by a shoulder formed around the central portion of the pointed contact element 38. The ends of the element 38 project beyond the ends of the contact spools 35, such that when the plugs are inserted into the socket, the pointed ends of the contact element 38 extend into the ends of the conductors II and I2 and assure good The electrical contact ofthe conductors and the connector element, even if the lengths of the conductors in the plugs vary slightly. The remainder of the plug and socket construction is essentially the same as that shown in the other figures of the drawing and the same numerals in this ligure indicate corresponding parts described with reference to these other gures.

While I have illustrated and'described particular embodiments of my invention, modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art. I desire it to be understood, therefore, that my invention is not to be limited to the particular arrangements disclosed, and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A circuit connector including a terminal plug member of insulating material having a base portion and a plurality of projections, said projections being formed with a central passage ,therethrough which extends through said plug base portion, an electrical conductor extending through each of said passages in said plug base and'fprojections, insulation about each of said conductors substantially filling said passages about said conductors in said plug base portion and projections, a connecting socket of insulating material having a plurality of apertures having contours complementary to the contours of said projections, said projections being adapted to nt snugly into said apertures providing substantially duid-tight seals therewith, a connector in each of said socket apertures having a projecting element on each side thereof adapted to provide an electrical contact with said conductors in said plug projections when said plug projections are inserted in said socket apertures said socket having a double frusto-conical outer surface with the longer diameter of said conical surfaces intermediate the ends of said socket, and a sleeve of insulating material on each of said plugs with the inner frusto-conical surfaces complementary to said socket outer surface adtarpted to provide a snug fluid-tight t there- Wl 2. A circuit connector including a pair of terminal plug members of insulating material each having a base portion and a plurality of projectlons, each of said projections being formed with a central passage therethrough which extends through said plug base portion, an electrical conductor extending through each of said passages in said plug base and projections, insulation about each of said conductors substantially filling said passages about said conductors in said plug :base portion and projections, a connecting'socket of insulating material having a plurality of apertures having contours complementary to the contours of said projections, said projections being adapted to fit snugly into said apertures providing substantially fluid-tight seals therewith, a connector in each of said socket apertures adapted to provide an electrical contact with said conductors in said plug projections when said plug projections are inserted in said socket apertures said socket having a double frusto-conical outer surface with the longer diameter of said conical surfaces intermediate the ends of said socket, and a sleeve of insulating material on each of said plugs with the inner frusto-conical surfaces complementary to said socket outer surface adapted to provide a snug fluid-tight flt therewith.

3. A circuit connector including a pair of terminal plug members of insulating material each having a base portion and a plurality of projections, each of said projections being formed with a central passage therethrough which extends through said plug base portion, a terminal element secured to each of said projections, an electrical conductor extending through each of said passages in said plug base and projections, means for electrically .connecting said conductors to said terminal elements, a connecting socket of insulating material having a plurality of apertures having contours complementary to the contours of said projections, said projections being adapted to t snugly into said apertures providing substantially fluid-tight seals therewith, a connector in each of said socket apertures adapted to provide an electrical contact with said plug terminal elements when said plug projections are inserted in said socket apertures, said socket having a double frusto-conical outer surface with the longer diameter of said conical surfaces intermediate the ends of said socket, a sleeve of insulating material on each of said plugs with the inner frusto-conical surfaces complementary to said socket outer surface adapted to provide a snug fluid-tight t therewith, and means including a pair of relatively rigid members of electrically conductive material adapted to be arranged about said plugs and socket when joined together for biasing said plug projections into said socket apertures for securing said plugs and said socket together in substantially fluidtight relationships.

4. A circuit connector including a pair of terminal plug members of insulating material each having a base portion and a plurality of frustoconical projections adjacent said base portion, each of said projections being formed with a central passage therethrough which extends through said plug base portion, a terminal element secured to each of said projections, an electrical conductor extending through each of said passages in said plug base and projections, means for electrically connecting said conductors to said terminal elements, insulation about each of said conductors substantially iilling said passages about said conductors in said plug base portion and projections, a connecting socket of insulating material having a plurality of passages therethrough formed as two sets of oppositely extending frusto-conical apertures with the longer diameter thereof adjacent the outer surfaces of said socket and having contours complementary to the contours of said projections, said projections being adapted to t snugly into said apertures providing substantially fluid-tight seals therewith, a connector in each of said socket passages adjacent the inner ends of said frustoconical aperture portions adapted to provide an electrical contact with said plug terminal elements when said plug projections are inserted in said socket apertures to provide an electrical connection between conductors in different of said pair of plugs, said socket having a double frusto-conical outer surface with the longer diameter of said conical surfaces intermediate the ends of said socket, a sleeve of insulating material on each of said plugs with the inner frustoconical surfaces complementary to said socket outer surface adapted to provide a snug fluidtight lit therewith, and means including a pair of members of electrically conductive material adapted to be arranged about said plugs and socket when joined together for biasing said plug projections into said socket apertures for securing said plugs and said socket together in substantially fluid-.tight relationships.

5. A circuit connector including a pair of terminal plug members of relatively deformable elastic insulating material each having a base portion and a, plurality of frusto-conical projections with the longer diameters thereof adjacent said base portion, each of said projections being formed with a central passage therethrough which extends through said plug base portions, an electrically conductive material terminal element arranged in the outer end of each of said projection passages and having an outwardly extending lange at each end thereof for securing said .terminal element to each of said projections, each of said terminal elements having a central passage therethrough, an electrical conducto rextending through each of said passages in said plug base and projections and said terminal elements and substantially filling the passage through said :terminal element, means for electrically connecting said conductors to said terminal elements, insulation about each of said conductors substantially filling said passages ing adapted `to fit snugly into said apertures providing substantially fluid-tight seals therewith, a connector of electrically conductive material in each of said socket passages adjacent the inner face with the longer diameter of said conical surfaces substantially in the middle of said socket, a sleeve of insulating material on each of said plugs with inner frusto-conical surfaces complementary to said socket outer surface adapted to provide a snug substantially fluid-tight iit therewith, and means including a pair of relatively rigid members of electrically conductive material adapted to be arranged about said plugs and socket when joined together for biasing said plug projections into said socket apertures and said plug sleeves about said outer socket surfaces for securing said plugs and said socket together in substantially fluid-tight relationships.

ALEXANDER C. WALL. 

